Just Us
by xHandWhistlerx
Summary: Lily survives Voldemort's attack on her family and wakes up in an unfamiliar place to find that Severus Snape is her caretaker. Rated T for some swearing/sexual situations.
1. Prologue

Lily jumped when she heard the door explode from its hinges. James told her to stay put and he went to investigate. That was the last time they ever saw each other.

As the explosive spells rattled the house, the lights failing and plunging them into darkness, Lily realized that Harry was still upstairs in his crib; she had only just put him to bed. Her heart pounding in her ears, she hurried through the living room, reaching the stairs in just a few steps. She yelled in terror when she saw James battling with a thin, hooded figure; all she could see was a pale hand, bony and with sharp, yellowed fingernails clutching a wand. The figure turned and she saw the cold dead eyes staring at her as he fired a spell. It missed her, but hit the stairs, causing them to collapse around her.

"JAMES! HARRY!" Lily screamed as she lay in a crumpled pile beneath the heavy wood of her home. All she could do was stretch her face upward and watch as light filled the upstairs rooms, accompanied by shouts and loud cracks and trembles. She tried to grasp her wand, but she couldn't move beneath the weight of the collapsed stairs.

"Don't touch my son!" She heard James roar; his last words before he screamed in exquisite anguish and fell silent. She heard a rattling laugh and Harry sobbing from his bedroom. In her state of shellshock, she released the air from her lungs in a bloodcurdling scream, hearing nothing but silence as she felt the final explosion shake her violently, sending green flames throughout the house before her vision went black.

**A/N: Just a basic prologue to outline that night; the first real chapter and some Snily goodness is soon to come! :)**


	2. Awakening

Lily stayed in her unconscious state for countless hours; her nightmares were the only indicators that she was still somehow alive. She wished that she would just drift away into death, because she missed her husband's smile and her child's laugh. But she could feel something, a warm presence, waiting for her somewhere beyond her restless dreams. She felt herself coming closer and closer.

And her eyes flickered open. Her vision was blurred from sleep, but the room she was in was filled with light. She lifted her arms to wipe her face and winced at the twinge of pain in her muscles and bones. Then everything was clear to her and she became aware that she was, however improbably, alive.

She was concerned as she looked around her; she had expected to be in her own home, or what was left of it, but instead found herself in a small room, laying on a bed that was not her own.

"You're awake." Lily heard an oddly familiar voice from the other side of the room. Her lungs inflated with a gasp as she turned her head to see the tall dark figure of Severus Snape standing in the doorway.

She groaned in fear, knowing that he was a Death eater, and squirmed in her bed, trying to move away.

"Please, stay still." Severus crooned softly, holding up his hands. "Your ribs and legs are still healing."

She peeled apart her chapped lips and attempted to speak for the first time in ages. "What is going on?" She rasped, her voice like sandpaper. "Why are you here?"

He slowly approached the bed, his eyes never leaving hers, and sat gingerly beside her. He held her hand in between both of his; she didn't protest. "First, I should tell you that you have been in a state of comatose for almost two weeks." He paused. "This is due to the unfortunate fact…that your family was attacked by the Dark Lord. Your husband…is dead."

Lily's eyes began to water. "Harry? My son?"

Severus sighed. "This is the part that gets interesting. Your son…he survived the Dark Lord's killing curse. It rebounded off of him, and it killed the Dark Lord instead. Or at least that's what is thought to have happened." He let the words sink in for a few moments. "As for me…I saved you. I came to your house as soon as I found out what had happened and found you in a heap beneath a pile of rubble. I thought…" He stopped, closing his eyes. "I thought you had died. But then you made sounds, terrified sounds, and I knew that you had survived somehow. So I scooped you up and Apparated somewhere that we couldn't be found."

She didn't care about her surroundings at the moment, and instead asked, "Is Harry safe?"

He nodded. "As far as I know. I haven't spoken to anyone since the incident. It's just you and I. No one else."

Lily stared at him questioningly. "Why did you save me? You're a Death Eater, you're supposed to kill—,"

He shushed her, carefully brushing a piece of her hair off of her forehead. "I've always been on your side. But I'll explain that later; you have enough to take in already." He then stood and went to the door.

"Wait!" She called, causing him to stop with his hand on the doorknob. "So, are we really just alone here?"

He turned to her and gave a small smile. "Yes. Just us." He closed the door with a resounding click. And Lily wasn't sure whether to be comforted or frightened.

**A/N: Hope you all liked their first encounter together; Lily's not too sure right now, hmmmm... Anywho, I'll be posting the next chapter soon, but in the meantime tell me what you thought! :)**


	3. Clean Slate

After sitting alone in her room for a few hours mulling over the information she had just taken in, Lily began to wonder whether or not Severus truly was trustworthy. They hadn't spoken to one another since their school days, so why was he suddenly acting as her caretaker?

Her reverie was broken when Severus re-entered the room with a bowl of soup and some other vials on a tray.

"I thought you might be hungry, so I prepared you some lunch. And it's time for another round of pain relievers and healing potions. I've kept you on a steady regimen all this time; you should be able to walk unaided in a few days." He informed her as he placed the tray on the table beside her bed. He stopped her when she attempted to sit up on her own. "No, no! I'll help you." And he wrapped his arms gently around her and pulled her to a sitting position with the pillows behind her.

She eyed him warily. "Thank you, Severus. I believe I can eat on my own, though." And before he could protest she reached over, grabbed the tray and placed it on her lap. She sipped the warm liquid from her spoon and sighed contentedly; it was her favorite, wedding soup.

After eating for a few moments, she put her spoon down. "So, where are we?" She asked, relieved to hear that her voice was returning to normal.

"In a place I never knew existed for a long time. My grandfather built this place long ago, as a summer get-away; since all of my family is dead, my mother, who this place was given to, left it to me in her will. No one knows about it but me." He explained, watching her hardened expression, one that had not softened, even in sleep. It hurt him deeply to see her in such a state. He knew that she was grieving, but he also knew that she had no trust or affection for him. And yet, she hadn't seen the concern and hope in his dark eyes as he pulled her gently from the rubble, and brought her to this secret place out of harm's way. She had not felt his gentle touch as he mended her wounds, and held her hand through her worst nightmares. She didn't know that he would lay next to her at night with his arms around her to stop her from shaking, and to warm her frigid body.

"Lily," Severus began, "I know that you believe that I was always on the Dark Lord's side through all of this. But, that isn't true." He watched her expression carefully. "When the hard times for your family began, when he began targeting your son…that was because I informed him of the prophecy. But, I never knew that you were going to have a child, or that he would even think of your family as 'the ones' in the prophecy. So I went to Dumbledore, and I swore that I would do whatever it took to keep you safe. And I became a spy." Her face was changing as he spoke. "I delivered information to the Order of the Phoenix while remaining 'faithful' to the Dark Lord. I…I did it all for you, Lily. And…I'm so sorry that I failed."

Lily had tears flowing down her face now; the information was simply too much to take in after hearing of her family's destruction. It was astounding to take in the fact that it was Severus who had divulged the secrets of the Death Eaters to the Order for so long, without anyone even knowing. She didn't care that he had been the one to tell of the prophecy; he had done everything in his power to right his wrong.

"Severus…" She said, clutching his arm tightly, despite the pain. "Thank you." She then pulled him down into an embrace, kissing his cheek. When she released him, his figure appeared to soften, as though an enormous weight had been lifted from him. They stared at each other for a long time.

Severus cleared his throat. "Now then. You need to finish your soup, and then take those potions. I have to go back downstairs." He then stood and left the room, closing the door softly behind him.

What he didn't see was Lily smiling after him, long after he had gone.

**A/N: Okay, so Lily's starting to warm up to Sev again; yay! I didn't want to drag out that process too long. Hope you liked it, and remember to review! :)**


	4. Progress and an Awkward Favor

Two more days passed, Lily remaining bedridden until she woke up to light flooding through her window. She shifted herself beneath the blankets, at last feeling the spark of determination that had been absent for far too long. She swung her legs over the side of the bed, taking a deep breath before placing her bare feet on the cool wooden floor; she gripped the bedframe and hoisted herself to her feet. She winced slightly at the soreness that settled in her joints, but took a step forward. Growing confident, she released the bedframe, continuing forward, slowly. She made it to the door and opened it, knowing that it led to a balcony that looked down to the rest of the cabin.

Shuffling to the banister, she peered down into the living room, where she smiled when she spied Severus sleeping on the couch, a book resting open on his chest; he had fallen asleep reading.

"Hey!" Lily shouted playfully. She giggled when Severus awoke with a start, looking around for the voice. Eventually he looked up and spied Lily at the top of the stairs.

He jumped up, his blanket and the book thumping to the floor. "You're walking!"

"I know!" She said.

"You're not _supposed_ to be!" He said, rushing to the stairs. "Not without my help!"

She rolled her eyes. "Severus, please. I just want to come downstairs and do something on my own for once."

Halfway up the steps, he met her gaze. "Alright…but, I'll be here to catch you, just in case."

Lily's face became determined and she placed her foot on the first step, then the next, and the next. She yelped when her knees gave out and she began to fall forward.

She was met by Severus's waiting arms. With a 'humph' he scooped her up and carried her the rest of the way down. She looked up at him sheepishly.

"I told you." He replied to her look, placing her carefully in a plush, wingback chair.

She sighed. "Yeah, I know. I guess it's a good thing I woke you up first."

"Yes indeed." He scolded her, but softened. "What would you like for breakfast?"

For the first time that morning, Severus and Lily sat at the table and ate their breakfast together. It was quiet, mostly, although it was not uncomfortable at all; it was almost like they were children again.

And then Severus reached over and took Lily's hand. "You really don't have any idea how much I've missed you, Lily."

She smiled. "I always missed you, too, in a way." Her gaze drifted to the window. "I really miss Harry right now. I know that he's probably safer wherever he is, but I just want to hold him in my arms again; it'll be proof to me that my life hasn't been completely destroyed."

He nodded. "I know…but for now, it's just you and me. I don't think it's safe yet."

She looked at her plate sadly, but decided it would be best to trust him. "Hey, uh…," She began, "Would you happen to have some other robes I could wear? I know you cleaned these ones that I have, but I don't want them anymore since…"

He let go of her hand. "I think I have something…" He then stood and she heard him rummaging around upstairs. He came back down with clothing draped over his arms. "These belonged to my grandmother. She was a small woman, so they should fit you; I'll find something else for you later."

Lily smiled; the colors were pleasant, so she didn't mind. Without thinking she stood up to take them from him and almost immediately crumpled to the floor. Severus was by her side in an instant.

"Sorry, I just didn't think—," She blurted out, trying to push herself up, but wincing at the pain coursing through her limbs.

"Just be still; I'll help you." Severus murmured, once again taking her up in his arms. "I'll take you back to your room."

Once back up the steps and inside Lily's room, she sat on her bed and examined the soft, comfortable looking robes. She chose one that was creamy white, and more like a nightgown than formal dress. She told Severus to stay outside the door and attempted to undress herself, but found the pain too excruciating and her arms too brittle.

"Uh…Severus?" Lily called dejectedly.

"Yes?" Came his voice from the door.

"I…I need help."

There was a pause before Severus reopened the door, meeting her gaze to confirm what he thought she was asking of him. Her beat-red cheeks gave her away.

"Alright. But let me get you more painkillers first." He whisked away, only to return moments later with a vial of the now familiar blue liquid.

He walked over to her slowly, watching her expressions. He then reached over and gently removed each of her arms from the sleeves of her sweater. Meeting her eyes for approval, he then slipped the warm cotton over her head, revealing her thin frame, which was covered in brown, healing bruises.

"I never noticed those before. No wonder I'm so sore all over…" Lily commented, trying to abate the awkwardness of the situation; it did little to help.

Severus strained every fiber of his being as he tried not to let his eyes rest for too long on her beautiful body, her full breasts, hidden beneath her bra. "Yes, but they're healing well…"

Lily then realized that he had to remove her jeans; possibly more awkward than her sweater. She met his gaze, hoping that it wasn't too uncomfortable for him.

He shook his head and put an arm around her, laying her down on the soft mattress. He unbuttoned her jeans, unzipping them slowly as though he were relishing the sound. He leaned over her slightly and grasped the waist of her pants, his fingers grazing the skin of her hips; he tried to mask his shaky breaths by making them shallower. Lily watched as he carefully pulled them down, past her bottom, across her thighs, over her knees. It was odd, watching her childhood friend undress her while she laid on the queen-sized mattress within the cabin in which there was no one but themselves. Severus fought to contain his lust as he finished removing her jeans, left to covet the exposed body of the woman he loved, the one he had almost complete control of.

They stayed completely still and silent, not meeting each other's gaze.

Lily cleared her throat lightly. "T-thanks…could you…put the other robe…" She stuttered.

Severus nodded. "Yes, of course." He said, practically lunging to grab the robe that laid on the bed beside her. His shoes slipped on her discarded jeans, though, and he fell onto the bed, his arms on either side of her delicate body. He froze, realizing that most of his body hovered or rested on top of hers. He brought his face around in embarrassment, and he now was closer to her than he had ever been before.

Lily looked up into his deep black eyes and saw him as a frightened child again, nervous and unsure of himself. She too was completely still as she watched his face, now so close to her own; she felt his breath on her face, just as hers wafted around his chin. He lifted one of his hands and let his fingers graze her cheek as they moved to her forehead, eventually tucking a strand of stray hair behind her ear; she sighed at the feeling, her eyes closing, and his heart dared to beat faster. He slowly leaned down, his lips grazing hers ever so lightly.

"Severus, no." Lily said, turning her head.

He then pulled away quickly, standing again and straightening his black robes. "Right, ah…I-I'm sorry about that." He blurted, his face hot with shame.

She sat up on the bed, and reached out for his hand. "It's okay. I still need help though."

"Yes, yes indeed." He muttered, not making eye contact with her the whole time he helped slip the gown over her head and arms. "Well, the potion's on your table, just drink it and lie down and I'll be up later." He said quickly, not looking back at her as he rushed to leave the room, swinging the door shut behind him.

Lily swung her legs onto the bed and slowly wriggled over to the other side to reach the potion. She sighed with relief as it went down, already feeling the soreness retreating from her limbs. As she laid in bed, she pondered what had just happened: she knew that it would be strange to ask her old friend, a man no less, to help undress her, but she had seen something in his eyes that she had never noticed before. The cold eyes that were normally reserved and unreadable had been lit with something foreign. She reasoned that it was probably just his testosterone working, since she _was_ a weak girl that he had the job of undressing. But still…she thought it odd that he, Severus, would think of her in that way.

Yet even though he may have gotten excited over her exposed body, he had remained so gentle with her. That was the fact that confused her: James (though it pained her deeply to think about him) had never touched her so softly when he was "ready for bed"; she sometimes found that he treated her a bit roughly. But Severus had such control.

Lily decided to stop thinking about the way Severus treated her in the bedroom and closed her eyes to nap as the potion set in completely.

**A/N: Woo! A little sexy, yes? At least Lily now fully knows how Sev feels about her; but what will that lead to? Give me plenty of reviews on this one!**


	5. Comfort

It was a long time before Lily saw Severus again that day; when he finally came upstairs with her supper, he didn't look her in the eye and merely left it on the table for her, asking if she needed anything as he was practically sprinting back through the door. She pondered at his strange behavior for a while, deciding that he was likely embarrassed by what had happened earlier.

Once night had fallen, Lily decided to call Severus back up to her room.

He opened the door and entered slowly, looking at the floor. "Do you need something?"

"Come here." She said. "I want to talk to you."

He came forward and sat on the side of the bed.

She took a deep breath. "Um…I know that you're probably…_embarrassed_ about what happened this morning. But I don't want you to be."

He nodded, but still couldn't bring himself to face her.

"Hey." Lily reached over and held his hand. "Listen, it wasn't that bad. I never would have put you through that if I could have done it myself. I know that it was _extremely_ awkward for you, and I'm sorry."

"I just didn't know if I could control myself." Severus finally blurted out. "I felt like I couldn't, and I was thinking of you in horrible ways that I should never think of you. I know you wouldn't want it…"

"I know, I know, just calm down. Any guy would've felt the same way if they were put in that position. I was lucky it was you; you understand…" Lily comforted him. Since the pain was still at bay, she sat up and leaned against his shoulder, rubbing his back gently.

She listened as his breathing slowed again, the air gradually entering and leaving his lungs. She closed her eyes as she listened, thinking back to the times when she would lay with her head on James's chest and let his breathing put her to sleep. And for a moment she was completely at ease and content, sitting with her head against her old friend.

"I understand if you're angry." Severus said quietly.

Lily opened her eyes and lifted her head. "No. I'm not in the slightest."

It was quiet for a while as they sat together, until he stood to leave. "I'm quite tired; I'll be downstairs if you need anything."

Lily, sad to see him leave, called out to him before he could close the door. "Sev?"

He stopped and turned around, surprised at the usage of his old nickname.

"You…you could sleep in here if you want. That old couch can't be that comfortable." She said, fidgeting with the blanket in her hands.

He looked at her with surprise, but told her that he would be back in a few moments. When he reentered the room, he was wearing his nightclothes. He stood at the foot of the bed for a bit, unsure of whether he should climb in or not, but eventually sat on the side opposite Lily, where he remained still.

Lily, who had already put her pillows back down and was snuggling into her blankets, looked over at him. "You know, it might be easier to sleep if you laid down."

Severus looked over at her. "Are you _sure_ you want me to sleep with you?" He asked, wincing and immediately regretting his choice of words.

She nodded. "It's just…I like to have someone next to me when I sleep. It comforts me." She then reached over and turned out the light, leaving them in darkness. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight." He replied. He too got under the covers, being careful not to touch her, and moved to the far edge of the bed. It was one thing to hold her and sleep next to her while she was in a coma and having night terrors, but now that she was fully conscious he was rather uncomfortable with it.

Lily fell asleep almost immediately while Severus lay awake, staring at the wall and watching as the objects in the room became more prominent from his vision adjusting. Eventually, he heard her begin mumbling in her sleep, something he found she did quite often; he turned over so that he could watch her movements, since the mumblings sometimes preceded nightmares. However, this time it just sounded as though she were having a hushed, incoherent conversation with someone. Satisfied that she would be alright, Severus lay on his back and shut his eyes.

"S…Severus…" He heard her whisper. He opened his eyes and propped himself up on his elbows.

"What?" He asked, assuming that she had woken up.

Lily turned over in her sleep, which left her squished against him. "Mm…Sev…" She breathed contentedly.

He looked down at her sleeping face and smiled; for once she was dreaming about _him_, and the dreams appeared to be a pleasant experience for her. He settled back down and put his arm around her, to which she nuzzled into his chest and then remained still. Feeling more content than he had in his entire life, Severus kissed Lily on the top of her head and drifted effortlessly off to sleep.

**A/N: A bit cutesy, but then who doesn't love cute?! Hope you guys liked it, and remember to review! **


	6. Tenderness

The morning sun creeped through the window, slowly making its way up the bed until it landed squarely on Lily's face. After a moment she drowsily opened her eyes, feeling the warm presence of a body wrapped around hers. Her foggy memory immediately told her it was James, so she snuggled closer, taking a deep breath to be intoxicated by his scent.

But it wasn't James's scent. This brought Lily more to her senses and she sat up slightly to see that the person she had slept so closely beside was Severus. Sitting up all the way, she put a hand on her head as her crazed morning brain tried to figure out why he was in her bed.

Severus, who in his sleep noticed her body missing from beside him, woke up as well.

"Good morning." He yawned, sitting up next to her.

She looked over at him, concern written on her face. "Why are you in my bed?"

He raised an eyebrow at her. "You said you wanted me to."

A look of realization came to her features. "Ohhhh…right. I forgot." She then giggled and flopped back down on the pillows.

"You slept quite well last night. No night terrors at all." He said, wondering if he should tell her about what she had said. "You do, uh…talk in your sleep though."

"Oh no," She moaned, "What did I say?"

He shook his head. "Nothing, really. It was more just like sighs and mumbles."

She looked relieved, but then sighed. "Did you snuggle up to me in your sleep?"

Again he shook his head. "No…actually, you came over to me. You had started talking so I turned over to make sure you were alright and you…you just came over and laid on me. We must have stayed that way all night." He noted, though he didn't look displeased in the least.

Lily put her arm over her face. "What's wrong with me lately?" She groaned quietly.

Severus laid back down beside her and put a hand on her shoulder. "There's nothing wrong. You just had a good night's sleep for once."

"But…but why was I so content with you?" She asked, turning to him.

He looked a bit hurt. "Well, I have been caring for you for a while now."

"That's true. And I didn't mean that in a mean way, Sev." She added. "I just…I feel like I should be mourning more over James…"

He wanted to roll his eyes, but knew that it would be inappropriate. "You've never been one to linger on the bad, Lily. I think that you've subconsciously chosen to leave your life with him as a happy memory rather than a sad one due to his death because you want to be able to remember him and smile rather than cry."

Lily looked at him in astonishment. "Wow…that's an impressive and startlingly accurate theory. You should be a psychologist, Sev."

He shrugged. "I try." He gave a small smile.

She grinned back. "You know, you have a really adorable smile." She tapped him on the nose with a finger.

He turned a light shade of pink before changing the subject. "You're moving fairly well this morning; you aren't as stiff as you have been."

Noticing for herself finally, Lily tested out her arms and smiled when she was able to move them painlessly. Her legs were still sore, though she was able to move them more easily than usual.

"Looks like I'm getting better, Doc." She said.

"I'm glad." He replied. They laid in silence for a while, gazing at each other's faces.

Lily's eyebrows furrowed slightly. "Um…did you mind sleeping that way?"

Severus shook his head. "Not at all. Actually, I probably slept as well as you did."

She smiled and came closer to him. "I…I'm really glad that we're friends again, Sev."

He blinked at the word, but smiled back. "Me too."

Again it was quiet as they laid beside each other, their faces inches apart. He put his hand on her shoulder again, running his thumb over her soft skin. She closed her eyes with a sigh, a small smile on her face.

And then Severus ever so slowly brought his face to hers, closed his eyes, and let his lips push against hers. This time she didn't protest, but even moved her lips against his for a moment. He then reopened his eyes and pulled away, almost in disbelief at what he had just done.

Lily's eyes opened slowly, her lips slightly parted from his kiss. She kept her eyes on his for some time before she let a tiny smile turn up the corners of her mouth.

"How long have you wanted to do that?" She asked.

"Longer than you can ever imagine." He replied.

Lily wasn't sure of what to think about his kiss at first. She enjoyed it, as it was gentle and kind, and it filled her heart with love. But, she was unsure of whether she should pursue it, since she felt that it was betraying James; however, he was not around anymore, so why couldn't she let her friend give her comfort?

As she watched Severus's eyes, she decided that it would be cruel to deny this man the love he so dearly deserved. And so she leaned in this time, and laid her lips upon his, smiling inwardly when she heard him give a small moan of pleasure. He buried his hands in her hair and kissed her deeply; she grabbed his shirt in her hands to pull him closer. He then moved over so that he was over top of her, never breaking the kiss. Lily put her arms around him, her fingers splayed on his back. She could feel his body beneath the shirt; he wasn't gangly like he had been as a child, the sharp bones replaced by lean muscles. Wanting to see more of him, she pulled his shirt over his head, to which Severus broke the kiss and looked at her in surprise.

She ran her hands over the silky skin of his back and smiled seductively, to which he put his hands on her white robes and caused them to vanish. He bent down, kissing her in the curve of her neck, to which she released a sigh of pleasure. She felt his lips curve into a smile against her skin, moving up her neck and under her jawline.

Their cheeks brushed as he went to kiss the side of her head and whisper, "Tell me if you want me to stop."

At this she unhooked her bra and placed both of his hands on her breasts. "I don't."

They moved along each other's bodies, drinking in each sensation of touch and taste. At times Lily wondered if it was right, but found that she truly wanted this release; she wanted Severus. She never knew that she would ever want this boy, this man, who had caused her so much happiness and pain over the course of their lives. Even as they made love she reveled at the gentleness with which he held and caressed her, something that James had never done. She was equally amazed at how much pure pleasure Severus was able to elicit from her, and how much she gave to him. It was like nothing she had ever felt before.

The rhythm of his body was different from James too: Severus seems to cherish every part of Lily's body, slowly moving himself within and without, while James's passion burned quickly, and he only touched certain areas. The feel of their bodies differed: James was compact and strong, while Severus was thinner, with smooth, lean muscles that had blossomed attractively since his underfed childhood days.

They laid together, side by side, intertwined in each other's arms beneath the white sheets that flowed above them. Their foreheads were pressed together as they gazed into one another's eyes; the black were a little softer, the green a little brighter. Occasionally they would let their lips touch, but they were most content with simply laying in silence.

After a long time, Severus put his hand on her cheek, brushing it with his thumb. "I love you." He said.

Lily smiled. "I love you too."

**A/N: Sorry this one took awhile; I just moved into college, yay! Hope you guys liked this slice of sexy time; remember to review!**


	7. Obsession

After their morning together, Lily drifted back to sleep, her dreams filled with images of Severus instead of James. When she woke up again, she found her healing and painkilling potions next to her bed and swallowed them down, even though she felt strong enough to do without them. She stood on her own, more confident than ever before, and left her room; as she stood on the balcony, she spotted Severus standing in front of the wall of windows on the opposite side of the room. Creeping slowly down the stairs and across the room, she reached him seemingly without getting his attention. Giggling warmly, she put her arms around his waist; he didn't grow stiff or start in surprise as he used to, but instead turned to her and knitted his fingers around the small of her back, smiling softly down at her.

"I'm stronger now." Lily said. "I got here all by myself." She felt like a silly child when she said it, as though she were a baby, proud that she had taken her first steps.

Severus nodded in approval anyway. "Yes, you're healing more quickly now, just as I'd hoped. I'm as glad as you are."

She smiled, laying her head on his chest and closing her eyes contentedly. However, the more they stood together just as she had with James her thoughts turned to Harry, as they so often did. She contemplated asking Severus if she would be able to see her son, weighing his possible reactions in her mind, but finally opened her eyes, leaving her head in place so she didn't have to see his initial expressions.

"So, um…I've really been missing Harry." Lily began, pausing for a moment; she heard nothing and continued. "I know that you don't think it's very safe…but, I'd like to find out where he is. I want to see him again; I want to be able to hold him…I haven't in so long…"

There was a heavy silence that followed, but she felt his chest expand in a sigh and she finally made eye contact.

Severus gazed down at her with furrowed eyebrows. "I know that you miss him. But, I still think that we should wait."

She pulled away and stepped back. "What exactly are we waiting for, though? Some magic sign that everything's safe and sound?" She crossed her arms, feeling frustrated. "I mean, you said we're the only ones who know we're here, Sev. How are we supposed to find anything out if we're just in this house all the time with no outside connections?"

Severus looked off to the side, his jaw tightening. "I just don't feel that we should go yet."

"Well, can you at least tell me why not? Where are these intuitive feelings coming from? I mean, you've been here with me this whole time, how could you know any more than I do?" She shot back, her voice rising.

"Everyone thinks you're dead. It would be a bit strange for you to suddenly go traipsing through your old neighborhood, picking up your son like nothing happened." He responded, his voice even.

She rolled her eyes. "I wouldn't do it that way; I'm not stupid! I would go to one person first, meet them in secret and explain everything."

He met her eyes again. "Nothing you or your child do will ever be a secret anymore, Lily. Your son somehow survived the Dark Lord's Killing Curse, and destroyed him when he did. He's now the most famous wizard in our world." He let the words sink in. "You survived it as well; if you suddenly appear out of nowhere to reclaim your son, people will bombard you. And not just for the reason that you, too made it out alive, but because they will be suspicious. Lily Evans returns out of thin air and demands her son; you'll be heavily interrogated and they'll think you're an impostor."

"I'd go to Dumbledore." Lily said defiantly. "If anyone can sort out a mess like this, he could."

Severus's knuckles cracked as his fists tightened. "I don't want to go to him."

"Why not?" She shouted, throwing her hands up. "Why do you keep shooting down everything I suggest? It's like you don't want me to have my son back!"

"Maybe I don't!" Severus growled, his voice rising for the first time as he came forward and grabbed her wrists. "Maybe I want it to be just us; the way it used to be! With no taint of James Potter to ruin everything!"

Lily pulled against his grip. "You're acting like a child! And how dare you judge my son! He's as much my boy as he is James's!" She yelled in anger. "AH! Let me go!"

"NO!" He shouted, causing Lily to freeze; he had never used such a tone with her before. "I let you go once, I'll never let you go again!"

Tears welled in Lily's eyes and he finally loosened his hands; she fled upstairs, sobbing as she went. She wondered at what had just happened within Severus's mind as she slammed the bedroom door shut behind her. He had become so selfish, so cruel, when she had thought that all of those characteristics had been grown out of since he had decided to fight for good. Evidently they still existed, deeply seated in his mind from his tormented childhood, and were now causing his affection for her to overdevelop into possessiveness; as though she were a prize.

She would never be a trophy; and she would have her son back whether Severus agreed to it or not.

**A/N: Uh oh; a bit of conflict in this one. Still, I hope you guys liked it, and I'll try to post another one soon. Review me! ;)**


	8. Compromise

As Lily sat in her room, still stewing over what had happened downstairs, a faint knock came from the door.

"Lily?" Severus's voice came gently through the wood. "Can I come in?"

"I'd rather you didn't, but whatever." She sighed back as she sat on her bed, leaning sideways against the wall. She heard him open the door and come in silently, but did not look in his direction; a faint clack came from the table and she knew he had brought her up something to eat. He walked to the other side of the bed so that she couldn't look away from him, cautious and reserved as before; his dark eyes met hers imploringly and she tossed up a hand for him to sit down.

He sat on the edge of the bed, his hands in his lap, and breathed in deeply. "Lily, I'm so sorry for the way I acted. It was…completely uncalled for."

Lily shrugged, her eyes blank.

An expression came over his face and she knew that he was about to say something that made him highly uncomfortable. "Ever since we were young I've felt…very protective of you. I always…I always wanted you to be mine. I've realized that those feelings were wrong, that I should have wanted a true relationship of love rather than…," His hand went to the back of his neck and his head tilted slightly, a tic she always noticed in him from childhood when he became nervous around her, "Well, rather than me simply _having_ you…"

She nodded for him to continue.

"I understand that you have to be as happy as I am. And I know that for you to be truly happy, you need your son…" He sighed. "I plan on going to Dumbledore tomorrow. I'll explain everything to him and have him come here to see you. We'll figure out how to get your son from there." For a while he had not made eye contact with her, but his eyes now met hers again; he was relieved to see that they had softened.

"Thank you for understanding." Lily said. "I'm still a bit angry about what you said about Harry and James, though."

He nodded. "I know. I shouldn't judge…Harry…simply because I didn't get along with his father."

"Yes, because that's downright mean."

"I know."

"And it's cruel to speak poorly of the dearly departed."

"I know."

"Because that makes you sound like a total arse."

"Yes, I know."

"You're such a butt, Sev."

"The biggest."

Despite herself, Lily broke out in a smile and allowed herself to laugh. "Okay, leave me alone."

Severus gave a small grin before standing and leaving the room again. Lily watched after him for a while before moving over and having her supper. She shook her head as she thought about how easily he had changed her mood: when he had first come in, she was infuriated with him, and yet by the time he left she was laughing. He had always had that skill when they were younger, being able to brighten her day and snap her out of any funk. Of course, it had worked oppositely as well, much to his dismay.

She wondered at how Severus would take to Harry once they were all in the same place together. Although she was still angry with what he had said, she knew that he wanted to make it up to her and would be taking yet another huge risk for her happiness. That, Lily thought, was something she could truly respect and love him for.

**A/N: I know this one's terribly short, but I needed them to make up so that I could progress the story more. Thanks for the reviews, and I hope to be posting again soon!**


	9. Plans

Lily awoke the next day to find herself alone in the cabin; Severus had left her a note informing her that he had contacted Dumbledore and was told to meet with him immediately. For the first time Lily used the kitchen, making herself a standard breakfast as she had back home.

Home. Lily honestly wasn't completely sure what that meant anymore. First it was her childhood house with her family, having dinners around the table and talking about school and work; next it was Hogwarts, and being in the Gryffindor common room laughing about boys and drama; then at last it was in Godric's Hollow, with James and Harry playing on the floor together, their laughter filling their house with warmth. What her home would be now, she couldn't say. Perhaps Severus could give her that again, once Harry was back in her arms. She found herself wondering how Severus would be as a father, given his unfortunate upbringing, but decided that if he treated a child with the same selflessness with which he treated her, then that child would be the most loved of them all.

Lily broke away from her thoughts and finished her breakfast, cleaning up the kitchen afterwards. Not knowing how long Severus would be gone, she decided to do a bit of housework for him in repayment for all of his help. She began with dusting, then sweeping, then scrubbing and mopping, then spotted the windows; unable to reach, she _Scourgified _them clean. Huffing a sigh and placing her hands on her hips she admired her work and looked at the clock; three hours had passed.

"That means he's been gone for at least six or seven…" She muttered to herself, a twinge of worry tickling her stomach. She blew it off and went upstairs to bathe, hoping that the hot water would ease her nerves. Once washed up she checked the time again; only a half hour had passed. With a groan, she shuffled back downstairs and pulled a book off of one of the shelves; but even though she looked at the words, she couldn't tell what she was reading. Irritated she pushed the book aside and laid on the couch, screwing her eyes shut.

Two resounding cracks came from outside and Lily shot back up, standing next to the couch, but not going toward the door just in case. She was relieved when Severus opened the door, motioning for someone to go in before him. Albus Dumbledore stepped into view, lifting his robes slightly as he stepped inside; he lifted his head and his eyes widened behind his half-moon glasses, his gaze directly meeting Lily's.

At last she smiled. "Hello Professor."

Dumbledore's rigid stance melted as he opened his arms and laughed in disbelief, Lily racing into his embrace as eagerly as a child to her grandfather.

"Merlin, it's true! I wasn't able to believe it until just now when I looked into your eyes! It's surely a miracle!" Dumbledore said emphatically as he released her, looking her over and drinking in the fact that she was indeed alive.

"I could hardly believe it myself!" She answered, before looking back at Severus, who stood slightly back from them. "He's the reason I'm here today." She pointed to him. "He's my hero."

Severus's countenance visibly brightened and he gave a small smile. Lily went to him and captured him in a tight embrace, relieved that he was safe; she felt him sigh with pleasure as he hugged her back.

Dumbledore cleared his throat and they released each other.

"Right! We have important things to talk about." Lily said, leading the two men to the sitting area. "First of all, is Harry safe? Is he healthy?"

"Of course. We made sure of that before we decided where to place him: either with his godfather or his aunt and uncle." Dumbledore explained.

Lily's face slackened. "Oh God, not Petunia…"

"No, he is currently with Sirius in Grimmauld Place. I should let you know that he was almost placed in Azkaban for the attempted murder of Peter Pettigrew."

At the name both Lily and Severus grew dark.

Dumbledore continued. "Sirius was placed on trial, as was Peter, who they were able to capture while Sirius was trying to kill him, and in the end it was ruled that Peter should go to Azkaban rather than Sirius, though he is on house arrest for the time being."

"But they still let him take Harry?" She asked incredulously.

"I assured the ministry that, while Sirius did attempt murder, it was not out of insanity or habit, but because he wanted to avenge his friends. They understood that Harry needed a home and allowed it, but they keep them both under heavy supervision." Dumbledore explained. "It should be quite simple to convince Sirius to let you have Harry back; we will meet with him in secret and discuss what to do."

Severus let out a small laugh. "I don't know that he would be too keen on the idea of me being around his godson."

"He'll warm up to it once we explain." Lily said, patting his hand.

Dumbledore eyed them knowingly. "Can I assume that you two are in a relationship of sorts?"

Lily and Severus looked at each other, having not completely thought it over, but Lily responded, "Yes…uh, I suppose you could say that."

It was quiet for a few moments before Dumbledore stood. "Well, I suppose I should be going. I've explained the recent events of the Wizarding World in more detail to Severus, so he should gladly tell you all about it. I will send a letter by owl explaining what we will do to get Harry back to you, Lily, and you may do as you choose from there." He grasped both of her hands in his own, smiling affectionately at her. "It brings me great joy to know that you are in good health, good spirits…and good hands." He then turned and winked at Severus before leaving the house and Disapparating with a pop.

It was quiet for some time as Lily sat with Severus on the couch; she then let her head fall onto his shoulder and he put his arm around her. She shut her eyes, finally relaxed knowing that Severus was safe and that she would soon be able to have Harry back. As she started to nod off beside him, she decided that this new life with Severus would be the next chapter of what her heart knew as home.

**A/N: Sorry this one took so long! Hope you like it!**


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